How to Get Permits for Karnataka Treks like Netravati, Kudremukh, Kumara Parvatha and others

If you're planning a trek in Karnataka — be it Netravathi, Kudremukh, Kumara Parvatha or any other — there's one important step you can’t miss. You need to obtain permits from the Karnataka Forest Department.

These permits are not just for formality. They help the forest department regulate footfall on the trails and protect the ecosystem we are trekking through. However, we have seen that getting a permit can sometimes feel a bit confusing.

So here’s a simple guide to help you through the process, step-by-step.

This guide was created by our trekkers, Isha Bhartiya and Naveen KS when members of the Indiahikes Trekking Club (Bangalore Chapter) went out to document the Brahmagiri Trek.

Step 1: Visit the Aranya Vihaara Website

• All permits are issued online through the official portal: https://aranyavihaara.karnataka.gov.in
• The website is available in both English and Kannada. First-time users need to create a login ID.

Step 2: Know the Booking Rules

These are general rules that apply to most forest treks in Karnataka:

• Bookings must be made at least 2 days in advance.
• You can book permits up to 30 days ahead.
• Most forest treks are open seasonally, generally from September to February.
• Daily quotas are enforced to reduce pressure on the trail. These range from 100 to 300 visitors per day depending on the trek.
• One login can be used to book for up to 10 people.
• There is a minimum age requirement for each trek, and the cut-off age can vary depending on the trek. Even the permit fee may differ based on the age group you fall into.

Step 3: Keep Trekker Details Ready

You need the following information for each person:

• Full Name
• Age
• Gender
• Mobile Number
• Government ID (Voter ID, PAN, Driving License, Ration Card, or Passport)
• ID Number

Step 4: Search for Availability

Make sure you are logged in with your ID before you search for Trek Availability. Once you are logged in:

• Go to the "Search Trek Availability" section
• Select the District where your trek is located. If you do not know which district your trek falls under, refer to this table.
• Choose the Trek Name from the dropdown
• Select your preferred date
• Click "Check Availability".
• If slots are available, you will be able to proceed with booking

Step 5: Book Your Slot

• Select the available time slot (usually morning hours like 6:00 am to 10:00 am)
• Enter trekker details one by one
• Accept the terms and conditions
• Make payment using Credit/Debit Card, Net Banking, UPI, or Wallet

Step 6: Download Your Permit

• Go to the “My Bookings” section on the website
• Click on “Upcoming Treks”
• Download or print your permit. This must be carried with you on the trek along with the Government ID you used to book your trek.

District Wise List of All Treks on Aranya Vihaara Website

The Aranya Vihara website requires you to know the district your trek falls under before you can proceed. You need to first select the district, after which you’ll see a dropdown of treks available in that region.

But we noticed that figuring out the correct district for your trek can be tricky. This often leads to confusion and takes up unnecessary time and effort.

To make things easier, Isha Bhartiya — one of the most enthusiastic members of our Indiahikes Trekking Club (Bangalore Chapter) — put together a district-wise list of all treks listed on the Aranya Vihara site. You can use her table to quickly find your trek.

Aranya Vihaara: A Much Needed Solution

For a long time, getting permits for forest treks in Karnataka was quite a maze. Many of us remember struggling with the old Karnataka Eco Tourism website — it was clunky, slow to load, and left trekkers confused and frustrated. Independent trekkers often gave up midway or landed at the base without a permit, not knowing what to do next.

At Indiahikes, we see the new Aranya Vihara portal as a much-needed upgrade. It has brought all forest treks under one roof and made the booking process far more streamlined. We’ve used it ourselves and found it to be much more reliable. Not only does it help you plan better, but it also supports the forest department’s efforts to protect these fragile ecosystems.

How Transparent Regulations Help Both Trekkers and the Trekking Trails

What stands out the most is how well the new system regulates trekking — from daily caps on trekkers to fixed entry timings and strict rules like the plastic ban.

This kind of regulation is something we strongly resonate with at Indiahikes. Even in Uttarakhand and Himachal, where we run our Himalayan treks, we’re in ongoing conversations with forest authorities to implement similar systems. It helps ease pressure on crowded trails and brings attention to equally beautiful but lesser-known ones. If trekking has to grow in India, this is the only sustainable way forward.

Now that the Karnataka Forest Department has rolled out regulations, we’re seeing the results firsthand. Popular trails like Kumara Parvatha and Kudremukha are less crowded, and the overall experience has improved noticeably.

Just a few years ago, Kumara Parvatha was littered with plastic. But when some of our team members trekked there this February, they were pleasantly surprised — the trail was impressively clean, and forest staff were strictly checking for plastics at the entry gates.

This shift has also nudged trekkers toward lesser-known trails like Brahmagiri or Ramadevarabetta. That’s been further reinforced by the improvements in how information is shared on the Aranya Vihara portal.

Compared to the older platform, it’s far more transparent. You now get access to details like starting points, ending points, and sometimes even downloadable GPX files — making it much easier to plan your trek. While these files can occasionally be outdated, it’s still a move in the right direction.

Few Things to Keep in Mind

There’s definitely room for improvement — especially when it comes to real-time updates and accuracy.

Sometimes, starting or ending points change, but those updates don’t reflect on the website. In other cases, it’s unclear whether a guide is mandatory for a particular trail. This is particularly true for the lesser-frequented treks, where unexpected changes can catch you off guard. So we always recommend cross-checking with locals or recent trekkers before you go, just to be sure.

That said, from what we’ve seen at Indiahikes, this system is already making forest treks in Karnataka more accessible and better managed. It’s a strong foundation to build on. If you’re planning to trek independently in Karnataka, you now have better tools at your fingertips. And more importantly, the new regulations are ensuring that trekking in Karnataka becomes more sustainable.